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(Gravy_Xtreme_5000) · (12-08-2021)

The U.S. / Canadian Border

A pink Kia Forte pulls up to the border control window. The tinted driver-side window rolls down as the guard working the post leans out of his window.

"Passport, eh?"

A black-gloved female arm pokes out of the window passing over the required document. The guard looks it over and then turns his attention back to the car.

"Welcome home Ms. Johnson! It's a shame that you couldn't win the Anarchy Championship in your last match, but you'll get'em next time, eh?"

Ashley Johnson, better known to the wrestling world as Vita Valenteen! The Border Patrol officer hands the passport back through the window with a friendly smile. Vita takes it and peaks out through the small opening.

"Thank you, and don't you worry, I'm definitely planning on bringing some gold home soon!"

Hearing his fellow countryman drop such a confident boast brings a smile to the guard's face. With an eager nod, he opens the path into Canada and the pink Kia Forte speeds into the country!

We catch up with the vehicle some ways down the road. Vita has pulled off to the side of the road. With the press of a button, the trunk pops open, and the groaning of a grown man can instantly be heard.

"Uh, Vita... I'm going to need some help. No! Wait! Nevermind! I've got it!"

Graves pulls with all of his might, sliding out of the trunk and to the ground. His legs are lifeless and numb, but it feels like thousands of needles are poking him as the feeling begins to return. Vita cracks the window and yells back.

"Dude, are you coming or what!?"

"Yeah. Just... Give me a minute. My legs are asleep!"

"Seriously? Shake it off, I can't come out to help you!"

"Yeah, the sun makes you sick. I know! Just... Hold on!"

Graves fights against the tingling numbness and uses the car to steady himself back to his feet. Wincing with each step, Graves awkwardly advances to the passenger side and carefully climbs into the car.

"Thanks for agreeing to do this. I'm not legally allowed to leave the country, ya know."

Vita seems a little uneasy being reminded that she is technically breaking the law.

"Let's just get you to Vancouver and not mention how you made it into the country."

Vita merges back onto the road.

"Sure, but let me ask you something, why'd you agree to help me?"

Vita glances at Graves and then back to the road as she struggles both with how and even if she should ask "him" this question, but she's desperate and lonely. Becoming a vampire hasn't exactly helped her social circle, you know?

"Well..."

Vita just freezes as she struggles for the words.

"Jesus, spit it out already! What's the problem? Listen, whatever it is, the worst I could do is say no, and considering that you just did me a solid... Come on, what is it?"

Vita seems to loosen up a little after that.

"Okay... So, uh... Damn it! Do you want to team!?"

Micheal's jaw drops in response to the question. Needless to say, that was the LAST... or well, maybe SECOND to the LAST thing he expected her to ask of him! After the initial shock wears off, Graves calmly responds as he turns his attention to the scenery outside of his window.

"You don't want to team with me."

"Well... No, I don't, really, but it's not like either of us have many options, and the tag division is ripe for some new teams to get involved!"

Graves looks back to Vita inquisitively.

"No options? What about Centurion? You guys just successfully teamed together on the last Savage!"

Vita begins shaking her head "no" at the idea of teaming with Centurion again.

"No way. He's a little self-absorbed and definitely not a good tag team partner, that's why he's found his success in singles matches. I need someone who I can mold to work WITH me, and not parallel to me. does that make sense?"

"No, not really, and besides, I'm already in line for a TV title shot!"

"And? It's not like you can't win both!"

"Have you seen my matches?"

Vita smirks without taking her eyes off of the road.

"Totally, but we can work around your various issues in the ring."

Graves seems offended as he fires back.

"What issues would that be?"

"Dude, why are you getting offended? You totally just admitted that you knew that you had weaknesses!"

"No, I didn't! The fuck are you talking about!?"

"You asked if I'd seen your matches in response to me telling you that you could win both belts!"

"Yeah, I just meant that I didn't play well with others! What did you THINK I meant!?"

Vita seems a little uneasy answering the question, but does so anyway.

"Well, from what I can tell, you don't seem to ever have a plan going into a fight, and just hope that you can brute force your way to victory."

Graves seems to get angrier as he realizes that there may be some truth to that.

"You also squander your mic time more often than not, which is probably why everyone has tuned out on you these days."

"What the hell does that mean? How can you waste mic time? All they expect you to do is talk shit. Like this. Calypso sucks, and his weak vegan bones are going to snap easily within my manly grip!"

Vita takes her eyes off of the road to look at Graves, unable to believe that he doesn't understand the importance of a promo.

"Uh, that was terrible! No wonder you aren't over! You may not care about your promos, but they are almost as important as your skill in the ring, and in some cases, more so! You could be the most talented professional wrestler in the world, but If you can't entertain the masses, then why should they give a darn about you?"

"Because I'm an extreme madman in the ring and I bring the promise of ultraviolence and gore!"

Vita rolls her eyes.

"Ultraviolence is so twenty years ago. Nobody cares about that crap these days!"

There's an awkward silence as Graves contemplates what Vita said. His brow furrows and his nostrils flare. Finally, he breaks the silence by firing back.

"Oh yeah, so what should I do to get over, huh? Record rambling senseless drivel like you?"

"Harsh, but not untrue. Talking isn't my strong suit, but you know the difference between me and you? I'm on my third year with the XWF, and you're on your what?"

Graves begrudgingly answers her question.

"Twenty-three year veteran."

Vita laughs aloud!

"HA! And I have a better grasp on pretty much everything involved in this sport than you do!"

Micheal grits his teeth.

"Yeah, and what's your point!?"

"That I could help you, and in turn, you team up with me, and let's go for the gold!"

"Tempting, but no. I think I can take care of myself just fine!"

Suddenly, as if by fate, Micheal's phone begins to buzz with a call from Lane!

"Oh Christ!"

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just Lane calling with some stupid task that'll likely put my life in danger."

"Uh, just don't answer!"

"I have too! I'm pretty sure I'll get shitcanned if I ignore it!"

Graves starts to answer when Vita snaps back.

"Give it to me!"

"What, why!?"

Vita snatches the phone out of Graves hands.

"Just... She hits the green button to accept the call."

"Graves! What took you so long to answer!? I have a very important appearance for you in the Canadian wilderness!"

"Vinnie, it's VV! Graves is with me, would it be okay if he skipped his promotional appearance this time?"

"Vita? What are you doing with Graves?"

"Just trying to help him be a better person, Vinnie!"

"Hmmm, well, he does need all of the help that he can get in that department... Okay! He can skip the appearance THIS TIME!"

"Thanks Vinnie!"

"Yeah, sure... Hey, VV..."

"Yeah?"

"Be careful around him..."

"Oh, don't worry boss. Gravy is a kitten!"

Vita ends the call and smirks towards Gravy who is sitting there in shock.

"How the fuck did you do that?"

"Easy, people like me!"

Graves sits there silently, impressed with how easily VV was able to get Lane off of his back.

"The last time that I teamed with you, it cost me my job..."

"Oh come on! It was my first match, and those BX3 guys forced me to fight them both myself after attacking YOU backstage, and despite that, I almost won!"

Micheal lets out a sigh, knowing that she's right and it was in fact him that cost them that match.

"Yeah, you sure did... Tell you what, I'll think about it."

"Hey, cool! I could help you prepare for your Television title match next Savage too, uh... Kinda get a feel on how well we might work together."

Graves smiles, but he's still a little offended by a 20-year-old offering him in-ring advice.

"Uh, I appreciate..."

Sensing the rejection incoming, Vita cuts Micheal off.

"Come on Mikey! It'll be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other better, and it's not like I have anything else going on!"

Graves raises an eyebrow, knowing full well what the booking for Anarchy is.

"Are you facing LSM on Thursday?"

"Oh, that's just Anarchy. It'll be a quick pitstop, then we can resume training! Speaking of!"

Vita reaches back and digs around the backseat, eventually producing a book.

"What's this?"

"Lesson number 1!"

Micheal fumbles for his pills as he stares at the cover of the book. He pops the top and dumps an unmeasured number of pills into his mouth.

"WOW dude! That can't be the recommended dosage!"

Graves just chews the pills silently as he begins reading. Vita, looking a little uneasy, works upon the courage to ask something that's been bugging her for a while.

"Hey, so, um... I have to ask! Did you REALLY murder your family with an Ax!?"

The scene ends as Graves lets out an annoyed sigh.

"Terry Borden? I bust my ass to survive Rampage at Bad Medicine for a shot at the Television Title, and I have to take a backseat to Terry-fucking-Borden!? Meanwhile, I'm told to cut my teeth on the mid-card and wait my turn? Some might argue that this shows just how little faith management has in ole Mikey to headline Savage, but I say fuck that! All this move shows me is that management is fucking terrified of the prospect of yet another paper champion sitting atop the Savage mountain, and the fact that the only thing they would deem worse than that, would be ME sitting atop that mountain! This company and I have always had an odd relationship. Unwanted, yet still around. An embarrassment, yet still paraded onto television anytime there's a slump in ratings or a void in the roster. Why is that, because I suck? Hell no, it's because I have always been able to be counted on to bring a solid fight to anyone, no matter their place on the card."

"But in the past, that positive has come with tons of negative baggage. Even today the XWF has to deflect and defend its decision to allow me to work for the company once more. A PR nightmare for sure, but one happening anyway, and why?"

The camera pans as VV walks into the picture.

"Because every time they fire you, you bombard the offices with call after call begging to come back under pretty much any conditions, hence why you now make less than the janitor over at XWF headquarters!"

"Wait, I make less than Smitty!?"

"Totally! But we're going to fix that by making you a winner!"

A studio laugh track plays causing Vita to glare at the production team!

"Hey, not cool! You people outta support Micheal's quest to better himself!"

Graves nods his head agreeing.

"Yeah! I'm taking these mood-enhancing pills and everything!"

Graves shakes the curiously unmarked pill bottle. There is no response from the other side of the camera and eventually, Micheal turns his attention back to Vita.

"Say, what are you doing here anyway? This is my promo time!"

"Helping you, DUH! Also, the first rule of a good promo is to NOT mention that you're recording a promo!"

"What!? Why!?"

"UGH! Because it breaks the immersion!"

Irritated, Graves shoots back.

"Listen kid, I've been doing this longer than you've been alive! I think that I know what I'm doing!"

"Maybe, but knowing and doing are two different things, and from what I've seen, you aren't good at either!"

Graves seems to take great offense to that!

"What!? Bullshit! If that's what you think, then why'd you come to me asking to team!?"

"Maybe I was desperate!"

Micheal squints as he studies VV, knowing there's more to it that she's letting on.

"Oh yeah, and you ain't now, huh?"

Vita throws her hands behind her back and sways in place with an innocent smile.

"No, not at all! Turns out there's someone else looking to tag with me, so you're off the hook big guy. Good luck with the promo!"

Vita begins to walk away as Graves tries to process everything and figure out what her game is. Fortunately, he isn't very bright.

"Hey!"

Vita looks back to answer him.

"Yeah?"

Graves hesitates to ask, perhaps because he's afraid to let it show that he actually cares.

"Who is it?"

Vita raises an eyebrow, not sure that she understands his question correctly or maybe she just wants to hear him say it.

"Who's who?"

Micheal hesitates again as he begins to look flustered. Eventually, he snaps back like he's irritated.

"The other partner! Who are you replacing me with?"

"Well, nothing is for sure until we speak, but Calypso has shown interest in forming a team."

Micheal's face turns redder than Rudolph's nose!

"That pipsqueak!? You've got to be joking!? What does he have that I don't!?"

"No offense Gravy, but you didn't seem all that interested before, and I think that Calypso and I have a better chance of working well together than you and I... Sorry..."

Vita turns and begins to walk away again as Graves hangs back looking dejected.

"Hey! What if I beat him!?"

Vita stops and turns back around to face Micheal. She takes a few steps towards him to close the distance before speaking.

"What if you beat him?"

"Will you team with me then?"

Vita tilts her head to the side as she curiously studies Graves, trying to deduce the source of his sudden change of heart to the idea of the two of them teaming together.

"I thought you were no good for me? You don't play well with others, remember?"

Micheal's shoulders slump and he drops the tough guy act as he embraces his insecurities.

"I... Don't... But I want to try! I'm tired of feeling like an outsider. It'd be nice to have a real friend for a change..."

"WHOA! WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT FRIENDS!?"

The dejected look on Micheal's face intensifies before Vita cracks a smile.

"JUST KIDDING! So long as you don't get weird, we can be friends. It's not like I have more than I can handle!"

Graves' posture straightens as the life seems to return to his eyes.

"So you'll team up with me then?"

"Of course, if you can beat Calypso!"

Micheal nods.

"I know people have a low opinion of me, both as a person and as a wrestler, but I'll tell you straight up what I'm not! I'm not Ghost Tank, and I'm not Chris Chaos! Calypso might be a puny vegan weakling, but I've seen him outwit and embarrass people perceived as better than him in the past, but it's not happening with me! I'm not affording Calypso the opportunity to catch me off guard because I know full well that every clown has his day, but this day belongs to THIS clown!"

Graves jabs his thumb into his own chest with authority!

"And then WE will become the biggest team in the XWF!"

Vita nods with a polite smile.

"Well, good luck!"

Micheal is left to himself to devise a plan for victory, but Vita will be eagerly watching to see who the victor is. As the scene fades, we get a shot of Vita's cell phone screen, where we can see her sending a message to Lane requesting to team with Graves next Anarchy, despite the deal that they just made. It seems Vita might have been looking to light a fire under her future partners butt. Just before we fade out, we see an incoming text message notification from Calypso to VV, but the body of the text is hidden in the preview popup.

(BLACK)

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